My New Bel Canto DAC 2

Steve,
I paired the Bel Canto with the Pioneer 525 for a number of months, before finally auditioning and then purchasing a dedicated CD transport. The 525 was pretty good, but the Proceed CDD transport I now use is much better in all respects, and pretty obviously so. Before you purchase the 525, I would suggest auditioning the DAC with a good CD transport. I know that BC once (still?) recommended using cheapo DVD players as transports, but my experience is more consistent with what other users seem to have found.

If you do use the 525, I found the sound was much better using an Acoustic Zen Silver Photon coax than any of the several Toslinks I tried.

Tbadder: how do you like the Linbrook monitors? How do they compare to other monitors you have heard?

C.

Steve: I hate to sound over the top (it usually doesn't do anyone any good and it leads to inaccuracies) but the two pieces in my system that are near world class (notice I said near) are the Evo 200.2 and the Linbrooks. A buddy and I went to see an Avante Garde Uno demonstration (an 11,000 dollar speaker) and we both thought that the Linbrooks were 85 to 90 percent of the Unos. We were stunned, a 4,800 dollar monitor in the same league. I bought mine here on Audiogon for 2,500 smackers (a demo).
First the monitor is a bit of a misnomer--these are big and heavy and you virtually have no choice but to purchase the matching stands. The Seas Millenium tweeter is even better than the Scanspeak Revelator (I've owned both) and the magnesium mid/woofers work effortlessly on all but the most complicated and complex passages. I'm not a bass nut; I distrust bass and for my taste(and I know this is personal) I think no one really gets it right--not Revel, not Wilson, certainly not Velodyne, et al. But you won't need a sub with these--they're dead flat down to 35 and minus 3db at 30. Haven't tested this scientifically, but if I'm off by more than a point or two I'll be the proverbial monkey's uncle. If you like a fast, highly detailed speaker, that's easy to drive (sensitivity 94) you're gonna love these. Just this Saturday I sat through a two hour Soliloquy 6.3 demo (their new flagship model) and the Linbrooks bested them without any problem. If you're a jazz/blues fan man oh man these will kill you. If you like pop rock or Reggae or country these will knock your socks off. If you're a dedicated Classical fan who is totally into orchestration then get the Unos.

How does the DAC2 compare with the DAC1 and DAC1.1 in terms of extension at the upper and lower frequency extremes, resolution, noise floor and timbral accuracy across the frequency spectrum?

TBADDER, volume differences mean nothing. They are two different designs, and just don't have the same output. You need to listen to them at the SAME volume.

I've a new DAC 2 also, too soon to give meaningful opinions, but it is clearer, more resolving, cleaner than my present DAC. However, the bass is my concern now. Let break in tell us..........

Just got my DAC2, and for the money it's a no brainer. Not quite up to my Camelot Uther (w/ anagram chip upsamples 24/192) but close. It's gonna be another giant killer I'm afraid, just like the DAC1 was.